Cheshire and Warrington Infrastructure (CWIP) is holding a webinar on Tuesday 8 July from 3pm to 4pm to introduce a devolution manifesto for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector. 

Cheshire and Warrington is part of the government’s devolution priority programme (DPP), meaning the area's outline plans to set up a Combined Authority and hold mayoral elections in May 2026 have been accepted.

CWIP, which is supported by Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW), brings together local infrastructure organisations in the region, including the following.

• Cheshire Community Action (CCA)
• Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA)
• Community and Voluntary Services (CVS) Cheshire East 
• Warrington Voluntary Action (WVA)

Since the DPP was announced, CWIP and its members have been gathering feedback from VCFSE organisations and working with public sector partners to make sure the VCFSE is well placed to engage with devolution. 

Encouraging discussions have taken place with public sector partners, with a clear ask for the VCFSE sector to have a seat on the Combined Authority once it is formed, as well as engagement in all devolution workstreams that have been set up to progress this agenda ahead of the mayoral elections. 

One key aim for CWIP and its members has been to develop a manifesto, setting out the VCFSE sector’s vision and highlighting the invaluable role the sector can play in achieving the priorities set out for devolution. 

This webinar will introduce the work that has already taken place to develop the manifesto and how we can all work together, speaking with one voice, to make sure the sector influences devolution as effectively as possible in the coming months.